Mandolin and Vase of Flowers
- Date
- 1934
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- Modern and Contemporary Art
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 209
- Dimensions
- 32 1/4 × 39 1/2 in. (81.9 × 100.3 cm)
framed: 41 1/4 × 48 3/4 in. (104.8 × 123.8 cm) - Credit Line
- Museum Purchase
- Rights
- © Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY
- Object Number
- 126:1944
NOTES
This composition is united by a horizontal “s” curve which runs down the right-hand side of a flower vase and across the center of the composition, under a yellow piece of fruit, up the left side of a goblet, and around a mauve mandolin. Pablo Picasso’s forms are rendered in color patches and dark outlines, creating an effect of stained glass. The signature at top left indicates that Picasso painted this work in a single day on April 14, 1934 at his country retreat of Boisgeloup, outside of Paris.
Provenance
by 1938 - 1944
Rosenberg & Helft, London, England; Paul Rosenberg, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA, purchased from the artist [1]
1944
Theodore Schempp, New York, NY, purchased from Paul Rosenberg
1944 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Theodore Schempp [2]
Notes:
[1] According to Paul Rosenberg's daughter-in-law, Elaine Rosenberg, who maintains the Paul Rosenberg records, the painting was acquired directly from the artist, and was sold by Paul Rosenberg to Theodore Schempp in February 1944 [notes of telephone conversation with SLAM provenance researcher Anabelle Kienle, February 23, 2004, SLAM document files]. In 1938, the painting was included in the Carnegie Institute's annual exhibition of paintings as lent by the London gallery Rosenberg & Helft, which Paul Rosenberg established with his brother-in-law Jacques Helft ["Annual International Exhibition of Paintings." Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, 1938, cat. 251]. The painting was later included in a 1941 exhibition titled "Twentieth century French paintings: Paul Rosenberg, New York, collection"; a typed one-page exhibition sheet in the Art Institute of Chicago's records indicates that the painting was lent through the courtesy of Yvon and Jacques Helft ["Twentieth century French paintings: Paul Rosenberg, New York, collection." Art Institute of Chicago, January 30 - March 2, 1941; copy, SLAM document files].
[2] In 1944, Theodore Schempp offered the painting to the Museum and indicated that the picture formerly belonged to Paul Rosenberg's collection [letter from Theodore Schempp dated May 19, 1944, SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 8, 1944.
Rosenberg & Helft, London, England; Paul Rosenberg, Paris, France; New York, NY, USA, purchased from the artist [1]
1944
Theodore Schempp, New York, NY, purchased from Paul Rosenberg
1944 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Theodore Schempp [2]
Notes:
[1] According to Paul Rosenberg's daughter-in-law, Elaine Rosenberg, who maintains the Paul Rosenberg records, the painting was acquired directly from the artist, and was sold by Paul Rosenberg to Theodore Schempp in February 1944 [notes of telephone conversation with SLAM provenance researcher Anabelle Kienle, February 23, 2004, SLAM document files]. In 1938, the painting was included in the Carnegie Institute's annual exhibition of paintings as lent by the London gallery Rosenberg & Helft, which Paul Rosenberg established with his brother-in-law Jacques Helft ["Annual International Exhibition of Paintings." Pittsburgh, Carnegie Institute, 1938, cat. 251]. The painting was later included in a 1941 exhibition titled "Twentieth century French paintings: Paul Rosenberg, New York, collection"; a typed one-page exhibition sheet in the Art Institute of Chicago's records indicates that the painting was lent through the courtesy of Yvon and Jacques Helft ["Twentieth century French paintings: Paul Rosenberg, New York, collection." Art Institute of Chicago, January 30 - March 2, 1941; copy, SLAM document files].
[2] In 1944, Theodore Schempp offered the painting to the Museum and indicated that the picture formerly belonged to Paul Rosenberg's collection [letter from Theodore Schempp dated May 19, 1944, SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control of the City Art Museum, June 8, 1944.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.